The Redemption of Jake Scully (16 page)

She repeated more softly than before, “Let her go.”

“I told you I ain’t letting her—”

Riley’s reply was cut short when Buddy slipped unexpectedly into the alleyway beside him and ripped Rosie from his arms. Thrust back against the Nugget wall, Riley stared, aghast, gasping as the lean cowpoke glared at him warningly with his gun drawn.

Jewel held her breath as Buddy directed, “You and Rosie, get back into the saloon—now. I’ll take care of this.”

Jewel shook her head. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“Get out of this alleyway, both of you.”

Jewel stared at Buddy. She had never seen him like this before, so cold, so…determined. She said abruptly, “Let’s go, Rosie.”

“No! I want to—”

“Let’s go!”

Ignoring her protest, Jewel pushed Rosie out onto the boardwalk ahead of her. Time stood still as Rosie and she stood rigidly inside the swinging doors, waiting. Jewel released a pent-up breath just short of a sob when Buddy finally nudged his way through the swinging doors into sight.

Jewel searched Buddy’s expression, inwardly trembling. She hardly breathed when he directed his first comment to Rosie, saying, “You don’t have to worry about Riley anymore.”

Jewel saw the relief that flickered across Rosie’s face as she mumbled her thanks. Buddy then walked to the bar, tossed Riley’s gun to the startled bartender and said, “Get rid of that for me, will you, Bill?”

Jewel asked shakily when he turned back toward her, “What happened?”

“Riley’s gone.”

“Gone?”

“I told him not to come back again…not if he expects to keep breathing.”

Rosie gasped.

Jewel remained silent.

His expression pure ice in the brief silence that followed, Buddy then said, “It’s over.”

The desert landscape slipped into afternoon shadows as Lacey turned a shaken glance toward the remains of her grandfather’s cabin a distance away. She clutched the Bible to her heart.

I can do everything through Christ, who strengthens me.

Lacey had read that passage often. She believed it sincerely, yet as the area became more familiar, trepidation had made persistent inroads into her mind. She searched out Scully’s figure as he tended to the horses, then glanced away.

The landscape—barrel, cholla and prickly pear cactus; giant saguaros outlined against purple-tinted mountains; with palo verde and mesquite trees in between—all had gained gradual familiarity as they had continued their steady approach to this spot. Yet her first view of the charred debris of her grandfather’s cabin earlier had sliced open old wounds that had begun bleeding profusely.

Memories had returned in a swelling rush, reviving the beauty of long days spent under Grandpa’s loving care: hours passed wandering the desolate terrain as she followed her grandfather on his prospecting excursions into the brush; leisurely moments spent while Grandpa wielded his pick and shovel with relentless determination; the discovery of shaded places where she would close her eyes and rest through the heat of the day with Careful at her side.

The trickle of a narrow stream nearby had stirred recollections of wading delightedly as Careful drank, of Grandpa’s voice calling her back to the cabin and the sound of Careful’s hoofbeats behind her as she returned. She had remembered simple but joyful celebrations, while Grandpa played his fiddle and she sang loudly and enthusiastically, songs ranging from “Oh, Susannah” to “Amazing Grace.” Then, best of all, she had recalled the quiet times as twilight changed into night, when she would sit on Grandpa’s lap and he would read to her from the Bible—familiar passages, precious words on which he had based the conduct of his life.

But Grandpa was gone. His voice had stilled, and the music was silent. All that remained were shadows.

Lacey turned abruptly toward the grave marked by a simple, wooden cross. The shadow enveloping it was somehow symbolic. Her recollection of that fiery night still limited, she remembered the roaring flames, her grandfather’s whispered words and a pain that was more than physical as she had watched him breathe his last breath.

Would she ever remember more?

Did she truly
want
to remember?

Unaware that she was trembling until Scully’s strong arm slipped around her, Lacey melted into his strength. She could feel Scully’s breath against her hair as she whispered against his chest, “Why would anyone want to kill my grandfather, Scully?”

“I don’t know.” Scully’s husky whisper rang with frustration. “Nobody could figure that out. Your grandfather wasn’t rich in much of anything except his faith and his belief in the future.”

“It’s funny…all the happy memories flooded back at first, but now everything’s changing.”

“There’s nothing to worry about here, Lacey.” Scully’s deep voice was earnest. “You know I wouldn’t let anything hurt you.”

Lacey drew back with an effort at a smile. “When will we be leaving?”

“We’ll leave anytime you want to—sooner or later. It’s up to you.”

Lacey began slowly, “I know why we came, and I appreciate all you’ve done.” Lacey could not restrain an apprehensive glance around her. “I’ve remembered so much already, and I—”

Somehow unable to finish that statement, Lacey said simply, “Thank you, for helping me remember so many of the good memories, but I’d like to go back now.”

“All right, just as soon as we have something to eat.”

Scully slipped his arm around her as they walked back to the horses. Lacey tried to relax. She had forgotten how bright the desert sun could be, how hot it could get…and how desolate this location was.

She had forgotten so many things…just as she had forgotten the memories that still lurked in the shadows of her mind.

“Warm water and jerky.” Larry turned and spat on the ground in contempt. He looked back up at Blackie and motioned toward the campfire in the distance. “But they’re down at that stream refreshing themselves in the water and eating like they’re out on a picnic.”

“Stop complaining, will you, Larry? We can’t afford to go nowheres near that stream and chance them seeing us, and you know it.” Blackie tossed away his last bite of jerky and stood up in exasperation. “You ain’t been the same since that day the boss told you to take a bath.”

“That don’t have nothing to do with it!”

“Don’t it? You ain’t had a good word for anything he’s told us to do since.”

“Are you telling me this whole trip isn’t a waste of time? Scully and the woman ain’t doing nothing down there but walking around, staring at that charred wood for a while, then going back to look at that grave. From the way Scully was packing up a while ago, they’re not going to be staying much longer, neither.”

“You should be happy about that.”

“I ain’t, because the boss ain’t going to be happy when we tell him Lacey didn’t even make an attempt to locate that strike.”

“Maybe she saw more than she’s letting on.”

“It didn’t look like it to me.”

“Maybe she don’t want to share that strike with Scully, no matter what he did for her.”

“That don’t seem likely, either.”

“Likely or not, you don’t know nothing more than I do!” His patience short, Blackie said, “I don’t want to hear nothing more about it. The boss said to follow them, so we followed them. He said to report back to him, and we’ll report back to him what we saw—which was nothing. And that’s the end of it.”

“He’s not going to let it go, I tell you.”

“I don’t care if he does or not.”

“He’s crazy. There’s no telling what he’ll do.”

“You’re the one who’s crazy.”

“Yeah…sure.” Larry turned his back on his cohort, then muttered into the silence that followed, “He’s crazy, I’m telling you. We’re going to have to watch our step.”

The shadows of the endless day were lengthening and the streets of Weaver would soon be brightly lit. The Gold Nugget was already ablaze with light and merriment, but the atmosphere between the three sitting at a table in the corner was restrained after the tense confrontation with Riley earlier.

All three turned toward the smiling cowpoke who unexpectedly tapped Rosie’s shoulder and said, “How about a dance, Rosie?”

Rosie nodded. She turned with a forced smile toward Jewel and Buddy as she took the cowboy’s arm and said, “I’ll see you later.”

Jewel swallowed a strange sadness as Rosie walked away. Rosie was Rosie. She’d make the best of things, if only to alleviate their concern.

Jewel looked up at Buddy as he moved his chair closer. She felt the press of his warmth against her and her heart skipped a beat as she forced herself to say, “Thank you, Buddy.”

“For what?”

“You know the answer to that question. If you hadn’t showed up when you did, things might be a lot different right now.”

Buddy whispered soberly, “You’re thanking me for stopping you from what you intended to do to Riley out there, so I’m telling you not to thank me for it. I didn’t do it for you, or for Rosie, either. I did it for myself.”

“Buddy—”

“You would’ve shot him.”

“I just—”

“Don’t deny it. I know about that hidden gun you carry, remember? But I don’t understand how you got it into your head that it’s your job to fight Rosie’s battles for her.”

“Rosie made a mistake trusting Riley, and I’m not going to watch Riley make her pay over and over for it. She doesn’t deserve that.”

“You don’t deserve a lifetime of paying for Rosie’s mistakes, either. That’s what would happen if you did what you intended to do out there.”

“She’s my friend, Buddy. I won’t desert her.”

“So, Rosie’s your friend. What am I to you, Jewel?”

Jewel averted her gaze.

“Look at me, Jewel.” Buddy’s gaze grew intense. “I want to know.”

“You’re my…friend.”

“What else?”

“What else is there?”

“Don’t pretend.”

“I’m not pretending. I’m accepting a truth that you won’t face. There
is
nothing else—there
can’t be
anything else between you and me.”

“I don’t believe that.”

“I told you, what you want and what I want are different.”

“I don’t believe that, either.”

Jewel took a shaky breath, then continued in a voice barely audible over the surrounding din, “I appreciate what you did, Buddy, more than you know, but it doesn’t change anything. What I said may not be true for you, but it’s true for me. If you can’t accept that we already have all there can ever be between us, then you’re wasting your time with the wrong woman.”

“Are you telling me to find somebody else?”

A breathtaking pain stabbed sharply inside Jewel, so deeply that she was momentarily unable to respond. Regaining control, she whispered, “You’re the only one who can answer that question.”

Buddy’s gaze lingered in the extended silence that followed Jewel’s response. She saw his expression tighten as he drew himself slowly erect. She watched his gaze go cold. She felt a moment coming that she had always anticipated, yet now dreaded more than she had believed possible.

A voice at her elbow shattered the silence of the moment as a man interrupted to ask, “Hey, Jewel, Buddy’s been monopolizing you long enough. How about a dance?”

Jewel glanced up at the grinning cowpoke. Willie Johnson was a nice fella, and dancing with the customers was her job.

Intensely aware that Buddy had remained silent, Jewel stood up, only to feel Buddy’s touch restrain her as he stood up beside her. Her throat choked with emotion as Buddy responded softly in her stead, “Find yourself another girl, Willie. This one’s mine.”

Scully worked with the horses as they prepared to leave. Lacey scanned the landscape around her for a lingering look at the remains of the cabin that had once been her home and the lonely grave nearby. The shadows were lengthening too quickly to suit her and a strange agitation was expanding inside her at the thought of all that the darkness at this location might bring.

Lacey turned abruptly at the sound of Careful’s bray and Scully’s annoyed response to see the determined burro break unexpectedly away from his tether to start back toward the cabin debris.

Starting after him instinctively, Lacey reached the burro as he stopped beside the charred timbers. She reached for his broken tether only to freeze into motionlessness as familiar images began inundating her mind….

Flickering shadows and darkness…she needed to cover Grandpa. She couldn’t leave him lying cold and alone.

But the shadows were moving. They were coming closer. She yelled at them to stay back, but fear gripped her throat and no sound emerged.

She started to run, then tripped and fell.

She got up to run again.

Grandpa, help me!

No, he was dead.

The shadows were right behind her.

They caught her by the hair!

Help me! Somebody, help me!

“Lacey, what’s wrong?”

Breathless, shaking with terror, Lacey stirred from the onslaught of the paralyzing images as Scully grasped her shoulders.

“What happened, Lacey?”

Lacey struggled for breath. She strained to focus on the features of the man supporting her with his grip. It was Scully, and the threatening darkness had evaporated into the brightness of day.

“Are you all right, darlin’?”

Scully’s rough palm stroked her cheek. He drew her closer as Lacey whispered, “The shadows almost caught up to me, Scully. I could feel their hands on my hair.”

“You’re safe now.” Regret rang in his tone as he said, “I shouldn’t have brought you here. Coming has only made things worse.”

“No, I’m all right now.” Lacey tried to smile. “It was only a flash of memory—something I have to learn to face.”

“Not
only
a memory, Lacey.”

Scully brushed her mouth unexpectedly with his, then whispered, “You don’t have to be afraid anymore, not with me beside you. Remember that, darlin’. Keep it close to you.”

Slipping his arm around her as he picked up Careful’s tether, Scully urged Lacey back toward the horses.

Lacey felt no need to respond as they reached their mounts and Scully swung her up into the saddle. No words were necessary. She’d be all right now. Nothing could happen to her with Scully so near.